Corruption Swallows a Huge Dose of Water

A Somali woman in Garowe drawing water from one of the many man-made ponds dug through a UNDP-supported initiative to bring water to drought-affected communities. Credit: UNDP SomaliaBy Jeff WilliamsMOMBASA, Kenya, Mar 22 2016 (IPS)While the United Nations marked this year’s World Water Day on March 22 focusing on the connection between water and jobs, a new report has rung loud alarm bells about the heavy impact of corruption on the massive investments being made in the water sector. Each year, between 770 billion and 1,760 billion dollars are needed to develop water resources and services worldwide — yet the number of people without “safe” drinking water is about as large as those who lack access to basic sanitation: around 32 per cent of the world’s population in 2015, Transparency International on March 22 reported.And asked how can so much be spent and yet such massive shortfalls still exist?“One answer: About 10 per cent of water sector investment is lost to corruption.”This striking information came out on the occasion of World Water Day 2016, as the Water Integrity Network (WIN) released a new report that documents the legacy of corruption in the water sector.The WIN report reveals corruption’s costly impact on the world’s water resources. It also shows the degree to which poor water governance negatively affects the world’s most vulnerable populations – specifically women, children, and the landless.Women carry gravel from the river to be t...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Africa Asia-Pacific Education Environment Europe Featured Global Headlines Health Human Rights Latin America & the Caribbean Middle East & North Africa North America Poverty & SDGs TerraViva United Nations Water & Sanitation Source Type: news